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instructed ?”
    11 Yes, sir ; that is my most ardent wish.”
    “And what do you wish to learn ? “
    ” Every tiling.”
    ” For what purpose ? “
    ” To raise myself in the world.”
    ” And how high would you rise ? “
    Gilbert hesitated. No doubt he had his mind made up on that point; but it was evidently a secret, and he would not reveal it.
    ” As high as man can rise,” he replied.
    ” Well, have you studied anything ? “
    ” Nothing. How can I study, not being rich, and living at Taverney ? “
    ” Then you know nothing of mathematics’?”
    ” No.”
    ” Nor of natural philosophy ? “
    ” No.”
    ” Nor of chemisfci f ? “
    ” No ; I know oniy how to read and write ; but I shall know all those things.”
    “When?”
    ” Some day or other.”
    “But how ?”
    ” I don’t know yet.”
    “Strange creature !” muttered the traveler.
    ” And then ” murmured Gilbert, speaking to himself.
    ” Well ! then ? “
    ” Nothing.”
    They had now proceeded for about a quarter of an hour ; the rain had ceased, and the earth sent up those odoriferous exhalations which in spring follow a great storm.
    Gilbert seemed reflecting all at once he said,
    ” Sir, do you know the cause of storms?”
    ” Certainly.”
     
    JOSEPH BALSAMO. 5}
    ” You really do ? ” ‘ ” Yes.”
    ” You know the cause of the thunderbolt ?”
    The traveler smiled. ” It is the meeting of two streams of the electric fluid one from the clouds, the other from the earth.”
    Gilbert sighed. “I do not understand that,” said he.
    Perhaps the traveler would have explained the matter more clearly, but just then a light appeared through the trees.
    ” Ah ! what is that ? ” asked the stranger.
    ” It is Taverney.”
    ” We have reached it, then ? “
    ” Yes ; this is the gate of the back entrance.”
    ” Open it.”
    “And do you think the gate of Taverney, sir, can be opened with a push ? “
    “Is it a fortified place, then ? Knock.”
    Gilbert approached the gate, and timidly gave one knock.
    ” Pardieu ! they will never hear that. Knock loudly.”
    Nothing, indeed, indicated that Gilbert’s knock had been heard all was silent.
    ” You must take the responsibility upon yourself, sir, then,” said Gilbert.
    ” Don’t be troubled about that.”
    Gilbert hesitated no longer left the knocker, and pulled a string which made a bell sound so loud one might have heard it a mile off.
    ” Ma foi ! if your baron does not hear that,” said the traveler, ” he must be deaf.”
    ” Hark ! I hear Mahon barking.”
    ” Mahon ? That is no doubt a compliment from your barou to his friend, the Duke de Richelieu ? “
    ” I don’t know what you mean, sir.”
    ” Mahon was the last place taken by the marshal.”
    “Oh, sir, I told you I know nothing,” and Gilbert sighed again.
     
    52
     
    JOSEPH BALSAMO.
     
    These sighs revealed to the strauger some hidden ambition, some secret cause of pain.
    A step was heard. ” Here is some one at last,” said the stranger.
    ” It is Master La Brie,” said Gilbert.
    The gate opened, but La Brie, taken by surprise at see-ing the stranger and the carriage, when he expected no one but Gilbert, would have shut it again.
    “Excuse me, my friend; but I have come here purposely, and you must not shut the door in my face.”
    “But, sir, I must tell the baron that an unexpected visitor “
    ” Never mind I shall run the risk of his looking a little cross at me, but he shall not turn me out, I can tell you, until I have got warmed, dried, and fed. They say you have good wine in this part of the country. Do you happen to know ? “
    La Brie, instead of replying, was going to make further resistance, but it was in vain ; the traveler pushed in, and Gilbert closed the gate after him, the two horses and carriage being in the avenue.
    La Brie, seeing himself vanquished, proceeded as quickly as his old limbs would permit, toward the house, to announce his own defeat, shouting with all